State of the Laboratory—1986: ORNL Engages in Collaborative Research. ORNL is performing an increasing amount of work jointly with technical groups in industry, universities, other national laboratories, and laboratories in foreign countries. This collaborative research includes a physics experiment at an accelerator in Switzerland, applications. of surface-modification techniques, studies of radon in the home, the Integrated Forest Study, breeder fuel-reprocessing tests in Japan, development and testing of SDI optical components, modeling of the Chernobyl reactor accident, and tests of superconducting magnets and pellet fueling for fusion energy.

Positive Feedback in Nature. Ecologists have increasingly come to appreciate the positive feedback processes that occur in ecosystems. These processes are self-amplifying and promote ecological change as well as biological production and diversity. Positive feedback is involved in coevolution, ecological succession, insect and disease outbreaks, and many phenomena.